Momo Ghee Cookies – Whip It UP
Kuih momo are melt-in-the-mouth celebration cookies with a strong milky flavour that crumbles into powdery lusciousness with the first bite. Popular in Sarawak, they are often referred to as ghee cookies but contain eggs for a richer mouthfeel. Momo is similar to Melting Moments except for the cornstarch. You could whip up a batch of cookies made with love as gifts for Valentine’s Day!
Total Time: 2 hours
Difficulty: 2/5
Cost: S$12.00
Yields: Approximately 190 cookies
A: Biscuit batter
500g plain flour
80g icing sugar
150g full cream milk powder
½ teaspoon salt
300g ghee
2 egg yolks
DIRECTIONS:
1. Preheat oven to 170C. Line a baking tray with parchment paper.
2. Dry fry flour in a wok or deep saucepan on low heat for about 8 to 10 minutes. Keep fire low at all times to avoid burning the flour.
3. Turn fire off. Leave flour to cool down completely, preferably overnight.
4. In a medium mixing bowl, combine flour, icing sugar and milk powder. Add salt.
5. Add ghee. Slowly pour in egg yolks.
6. Hand knead dough until all ingredients are well combined. The dough should be crumbly but not damp.
7. Roll dough into little balls, each weighing about 5g.
8. Arrange balls on baking tray, allowing a 3cm space in between.
9. Bake for about 12 to 15 minutes until light brown.
10. Allow cookies to cool down.
Dust tops of cookies with castor sugar, icing sugar or milk powder according to your preference.
11. They are very fragile, so handle with care. Place each cookie gently into a muffin paper case and store them in an air-tight container.
Or serve them to mark Yuan Xiao Jie, more popularly referred to as Chap Goh Mei in Hokkein dialect – the 15th and final day of the lunar new year celebrations.
12. You may wish to present them as a Valentine’s Day gift on 14 February.
TIP: Full-cream milk powder lends cookies a creamy flavour. Skimmed milk powder can be used for a healthier, low-fat version.
TECHNIQUE: Dry frying flour gives cookies their signature lightness and crumbliness.
Photos: Karen Kon
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